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3232Operational Safety Integrity – Closing the Safety Loophttps://technology-signals.com/download/operational-safety-integrity-closing-the-safety-loop/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 21:02:34 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337654Plant safety is high priority for most operators of industrial processes, with many operators publishing goals of zero incidents or accidents. Occupational safety includes procedures for protecting personnel from trips, spills, falls, handling hazardous materials, and working at heights. Functional safety arose from the need to avoid large-scale industrial disasters and involves the safeguards required to manage and mitigate hazards, assess possible
consequences and risks, and determine a required level of protection. Today international standards such as IEC 61511, IEC 61508, ISA S84, and others are widely adopted and considered best practice in the industry. They provide a performance-based framework for the design, implementation, and operation/maintenance of automated safeguards,
including safety instrumented systems (SIS) such as emergency shutdown systems (ESD), alarm functionality of the distributed control system (DCS), burner management systems, and other automation and control technology geared toward safe operations.
But regardless of how well-designed these safeguarding systems are, they can only ever be fully effective if operated and maintained according to their design criteria over the entire operational life of the plant. Growing awareness of this fact has given rise to a newer discipline of process safety management. Why pursue improvements in safety in addition to the fact that human life and health should be safeguarded at all times? Evidence is beginning to emerge that companies with good process safety realize significant direct cost benefits. Figure 1, for example, shows the results of research from the Center for Chemical Process Safety. Results indicate not only a 5% increase in productivity to the top line, but also improvement to the bottom line through reduced costs for production, maintenance, capital budget, and insurance.
]]>Practical Overview of Implementing IEC 62443 Security Levels in Industrial Control Applicationshttps://technology-signals.com/download/practical-overview-of-implementing-iec-62443-security-levels-in-industrial-control-applications/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:55:15 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337648Industrial Control Systems (ICS) have experienced an exponential increase in cyberattacks over the last decade. The industry has responded to cybersecurity threats by creating standards to assist end users and equipment vendors through the process of securing industrial control systems. There are a number of key standards available in the market today. IEC 62443 has been developed by both the ISA99 and IEC committees to improve the safety, availability, integrity, and confidentiality of components or systems used in industrial automation and control. The IEC 62443 series of standards can be utilized across industrial control segments, and has been approved by many countries. IEC 62443 is evolving to become a key standard in the industry, and Schneider Electric is building its
cybersecurity strategy around the standard.
This document is designed to introduce concepts to an individual with limited exposure to cybersecurity in industrial control systems. The document is designed to provide implementation guidance using practical examples. Note that this is a generic document designed to introduce concepts – the guidance provided herein should not be used to secure industrial control systems without examining specific networks in detail.
]]>Profitable efficiency – the new DNA of process controlhttps://technology-signals.com/download/profitable-efficiency-the-new-dna-of-process-control/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:50:22 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337644However, since the 1960s, the state-of-the-art in process control has advanced significantly beyond single-loop feedback control. For example, multi-loop cascade control, feedforward control, and coordinated multiple variable control utilize dynamic process models to enable very sophisticated control strategies.
Fundamentally, real-time control involved making and acting on decisions within the period defined by the time constant of the process being controlled. In other words, the timing is defined by the process being controlled, rather than human time schedules, e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, etc. Decisions being made on human schedules are referred to herein as management decisions, while decisions made on process schedules are referred to as control decisions.
]]>The continuously current enterprise: Trends in life cycle management of automation assetshttps://technology-signals.com/download/the-continuously-current-enterprise-trends-in-life-cycle-management-of-automation-assets/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:45:10 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337641Regardless of how well-designed or constructed an automation system, sooner or later all or part of it will need to be replaced. Industry research firm ARC estimates that some $65 billion in automation assets are approaching the end of a useful life cycle and identifies the following as the main reasons manufacturers should consider upgrading
or replacing assets:
• Avoid unscheduled downtime.
• Take advantage of a new or emerging business opportunity.
• Avoid the rising cost of supporting an aging system.
• Implement the new benefits that technology brings.
• Replace a system that a vendor no longer supports or has phased out of production.
• Meet new business needs not supported by the current system.
Some manufacturers choose not to stay current by adopting an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”
strategy. This can result in significant short-run cost savings and some increased return on existing investment, but it comes with great risk. When something does break unexpectedly, the cost of downtime, rush charges, and hasty replacement purchases can be devastating. And, even if there is time for product evaluation, many companies tend to replace existing functionality only, securing system availability but possibly missing out on competitive advantages that might come from technology advances.
]]>The Unexpected Impact of IIoT-driven Modernization on Plant Operational Profitabilityhttps://technology-signals.com/download/the-unexpected-impact-of-iiot-driven-modernization-on-plant-operational-profitability/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:40:59 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337638The nature of plant modernization, including methods for upgrading physical infrastructure and tools that control plant processes, has been turned on its head in recent years. The rapid acceleration in the number of connected devices, a broader acceptance of open communication protocol standards, and a new affordability of digitalized technologies (both in data-gathering hardware and in data-analyzing software) has spawned the arrival of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). This, in turn, has prompted industrial executives to revisit traditional approaches for controlling their operations and business performance.
Leveraging IIoT as a basis for plant modernization could result in big payoffs. The new technologies empower the workforce to move to real-time smart control. By providing operators with useable, easy-to-understand data at the right time and within the right context, they are better positioned to control the real-time risks to the operation. Thus, the more engaged workforce is more capable of enhancing ROI and directly impacting both profits and product time-to-market. This then leads to better real-time operational profitability control at the plant and enterprise level.
]]>Digital Transformation Through Integrated Process and Powerhttps://technology-signals.com/download/digital-transformation-through-integrated-process-and-power/
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 19:29:44 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337626Traditionally, process control/automation and electrical power management have been designed and operated independently throughout the lifecycle of a plant. The historical development of these two domains is understandable: Process control has longer response times (lasting seconds or more), is continuous, and based
on a prescribed control strategy for a defined process and plant configuration. In contrast, electrical automation is generally asynchronous, event-driven, and occurring in the millisecond (ms) time frame. However, an obvious interaction between electrical equipment and process control is seen in generators, pumps,compressors, fans, valve equipment, and process heating equipment.
The confluence of technology development and the constant pressure to reduce CAPEX and OPEX is driving an initiative to rethink the separation between process automation and power management. There is strong evidence that integrating these two domains throughout the lifecycle of a plant, commencing at the plant design phase to the operational phase, will offer dramatic benefits. This paper sets out
seven points of integration between process automation and power management, referred to herein as “value drivers” and based on examples from the EcoStruxure Power and Process approach by Schneider Electric. These value drivers include the following seven strategies which span the lifecycle of the plant asset, from initial design through commissioning and start-up and into operation.
]]>Putting trust in your data Quantifying confidence levels of finance leaders in their data and security practiceshttps://technology-signals.com/download/putting-trust-in-your-data-quantifying-confidence-levels-of-finance-leaders-in-their-data-and-security-practices-2/
Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:12:38 +0000http://tsdev.technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337399Methodology
The results presented in this report are based on a mobile-only, 23-question global survey. This survey targeted Manager, Director, Vice President or C-Level executives with influence in the decision-making process of cloud solutions, platforms, and infrastructure or department specific software. Respondents worked within organisations generating revenues between less than £1 million to more than £500 million, with 100 to 50,000 employees.

There is a new data paradigm. Data is the new currency in the digital age.

Poor data management practices inevitably lead to poor outcomes,with bad decisions based on bad data. Data must also be protected,with weak practices leading to cyber breaches. And the reputational damage to an organisation’s brand cannot be underestimated.However, when managed well, data offers a competitive advantage.In the past, data was typically informed historical reporting, with internal needs and compliance taking priority. Today, finance leaders require far more external data for security, predictive thinking, and to innovate for the future.Compliance and risk management are still key, but the field of data has got bigger and far more complex. Digital risk will be a standard financial reporting mechanism, with the culture of analytics becoming a necessity for
data-driven insights.

]]>Comic Storytelling: The Secret Sauce to Your Marketing Campaignshttps://technology-signals.com/comic-storytelling-the-secret-sauce-to-your-marketing-campaigns-2/
Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:03:37 +0000http://tsdev.technology-signals.com/?p=1337394Launching a successful marketing campaign requires a good number of activities where the information is promoted by the means of visuals, text, and audio. Comic storytelling is the newest addition to your marketing campaigns, giving you an edge over competitors, writes, Naveen Gattu, COO, Gramener.

Great marketing should be made up of a basket full of initiatives to showcase your brand to potential customers. Whether the campaigns are driven by emails, newsletters, blogs, or social media posts, imagery must be an integral part of it. Images act as eye candy that breaks up monotonous blocks of text, so why not take them one step further and add visual comic storytelling to get your audience even more intrigued.

5 BIG STRATEGIC CONTENT EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS FOR CMOs

The future of effective content marketing is not in solutions that enable marketing teams to do the same activities with just more volume and efficiency

Long story short, visuals are engaging, stories are interesting, and comics are humorous. By combining all of them, you can create a compelling comic narrative to pique your customers’ interest in your marketing initiatives. Comic generators that are available online or offline can help you create comic conversations to use for this purpose.

1. Comics for email campaigns

By taking a pain point related to your targeted audience and create a comic strip, comic storytelling could act as a catalyst for your email campaigns. It’s a great way to draw attention to add a CTA that offers a solution. For example, you might be targeting a hospital client through an email campaign as you’re selling a data-driven solution that gives insights about the revenue generation of various departments.

The strip speaks insights. It is enough to pique the interest of your audience with similar problems, making it significantly more likely for them to approach you for solutions.

2. Comics for product manuals and e-books

Comics are not just to tell stories of superheroes saving the world. They have also emerged in business domains as powerful solutions to visually communicate information. As a marketer, you might be using case studies, e-books, product manuals, and white papers to tell your product’s story.

A great example that tells a product story via comics is Scott McCloud’s Google Chrome Comic. A printed comic for journalists and bloggers, the Google Chrome Comic explains the inner workings of the Google Chrome browser when it was launched. If comics is a good enough marketing tool for Google, just think what they could do for you.

3. Comics for social media

By introducing comics, you can break the conventional barrier of relying only on descriptions for better click-through rates on social media. It’s important to remember that we are hardwired to consume and remember visuals much better than text. A simple comic would stand out amidst a feed of stock images and hardcore business visuals, increasing the chances of higher click-through rates on your post.

Below is an example of a comic strip that shows the interest of fashionistas in the annual met gala. Amidst all the social media posts of celebrities posing for the camera, this comic strip lightens the mood of the user scrolling through the feed.

4. Comic for Blogs

Infographics? Check.

Catchy headlines? Check.

Impressive quotations from famous people? Check.

Backlinks to popular websites? Check.

But, did you know a 15 second rule defines the bounce rate of your web page or blog? It essentially determines that if you haven’t engaged the site visitor for 15 seconds, then you probably aren’t going to.

So, how can you engage your audience for longer than that? Likely, not from lines of hard-to-read text. And while infographics help, they are increasingly becoming an unoriginal “go-to” solution. Comics are an out-of-the-box option that audiences won’t expect in the first place, Making them more likely to dedicate their time reading, observing, and enjoying it, reducing the bounce rate on your page. Even better if your comics come in multiple formats, such as the GIF below.

How to create effective comics for marketing campaigns

The internet is scarce of comic storytelling tools. Moreover, many graphic novel creation tools require registration or payment to download or publish the final content.

However, we mustn’t forget the power of the open source. ComicGen is an open source comic creation tool that has multiple characters, poses, and expressions. All you have to do is select any character, choose the relevant pose and expression, and take a screenshot to develop your own comic strip in MS PowerPoint. Following the steps below you can easily create a comic strip in minutes:

Develop a story outline and select the panels.

Pick characters from Comicgen.

Take screenshots of supporting poses and emotions.

Crop the prop/pose/emotion which you are going to highlight.

Arrange all these in a PowerPoint slide.

Select a comic font and add the supporting text.

Add a speech bubble on top of the text and arrange accordingly.

Besides using comics in core marketing campaigns, comic presentations for internal communication in your organization can be a highly engaging approach too. Comics have the power to lighten the mood in serious board-room meetings, quarterly update meetups, invitation emails, and even celebration emails.

Conclusion

It’s no secret that people engage more with visuals than they do with text, especially ones with the relatability factor. So, with it now clear that comics are far from reserved just for kids, you can put them to use no matter what the marketing campaign.

]]>We are transforming the Digital Workforce of the Futurehttps://technology-signals.com/we-are-transforming-the-digital-workforce-of-the-future/
Wed, 04 Sep 2019 13:58:40 +0000http://tsdev.technology-signals.com/?p=1337392What if you could give every employee a blueprint for tomorrow’s most-needed skills?

Your teams know they need new skills–and most are eager to get them. But, what most companies offer is, well, standardized. That can make it boring and not applicable. To stand out and bring your workforce into the future, you need a creative, personal–and even enjoyable–learning experience. The Digital Fitness Assessment will help your employees build their future. Get a demo here.

]]>DynamoDB Users: Why Switching to Couchbase Will Save You Time and Moneyhttps://technology-signals.com/download/dynamodb-users-why-switching-to-couchbase-will-save-you-time-and-money/
Fri, 30 Aug 2019 14:50:00 +0000http://technology-signals.com/?post_type=wpdmpro&p=1337387Amazon’s DynamoDB database gives Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers easy access to a NoSQL system. Many AWS-based projects store their data in DynamoDB because of the presumed benefits of its tight integration with other AWS tools – but that doesn’t always make it the best tool for the job, especially since the quality of integration depends entirely on the willingness and technical know-how of the customers who choose it.
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